IOS5 and Google Web Page Search Is Tracking You???

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Level 1

8 points

IOS5 and Google Web Page Search Is Tracking You???

(...Sorry had to updated this post with non html imported text....)

IOS5 and Google Web Page Search Is Tracking You

Since upgrading to iOS5 I have found a new behavior with Google search web page that was not the same behavior in iOS4. The Google search web page in iOS4 Safari would keep a history of your recent searches, even if you were not logged into a Google user account. (I want to be clear that I am talking about the Google web page search, not the Safari/Google toolbar, nor any additional Google app installed on the iPhone!) This search history was helpful on the iPhone as it allowed you to research or modify a search with less touch typing required.

Previously in iOS4 you could go into the iPhone Settings>Safari and find options for clearing cache, history, cookies (and I believe website data/databases). After doing a clear of all these options you could go back to the Google web page search and find that Google's web page and your browser had forgotten all you past search terms.

I always understood that when searching with Google, their website always provided a cookie file that gets stored on you computer/iPhone and that Google used this cookie data file to help id you as a unique visitor to their search web page. Based on this cookie file, Google was able to keep a history of your recent search terms and most suspected that Google could even tailor search results for you based on recent search terms and location information you had chosen to provide to the Google search web page.

With iOS5, I am no longer able to clear my cache, history, website data, or auto fill forms options in the iOS Safari settings so that that all Google cookies or other data is removed from my Safari web browser. No mater how I work through the Safari settings for clearing my browser data files, each and every time I go back to the Google web page search it still provides me a history list of all my past searches, even after clearing all cache, cookies, history, and website data settings. Again this is only the Google web page based search, not the Safari search tool bar. Again this occurs for Google search users that are not signed into a Google user account.

After pounds of searching, the only way you can clear this Google web page search history is to follow the link/directions on a mobile device to a Google page with these instructions:

“Clear search history on iPhone”

For users not signed in to a Google Account

Follow these steps to clear your search history:

Tap Settings on google.com.

Select Clear saved searches to remove your previous searches.

Note: This will remove all of your previous searches done on the phone. If you don't want your searches to be saved, tap Settings, then under the Search History section select Do not save searches. Be sure to save your preferences."

http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=163061

This is what all of the world's web bloggers find and point you to when people want to know how to clear their Google search results. What I am outraged about, is that everyone isOK with this and seams to think this is a good thing???

If I have cleared all my web data from my Safari browser, how in the world is Google providing me with old search results every time I go back to the Google search web page?
Why is it that I have to go to a specially crafted Google webpage for mobile devices and then tell Google to stop tracking my search results?
How in the world is Google still tracking me after I have removed all cookies, web site data, and autofill settings from the Safari browser and while I am not logged into Google?
What possible identifying information am I still providing to Google that uniquely identifies me and provides my own personalized search history?

The only thing left that is possible is that Apple's iOS5 is providing some unique identifier, or that Apple has decided to omit clearing of Google's cookies from the Safari browser cache. If you go to the mobile webpage link for Google web search settings and choose to clear you search history, Google honers this request.

http://www.google.com/preferences?hl=en

(note this is a different preferences page on the mobile version, not the same options as a desktop browser)

Here at this preferences page you can also tell Google not to “Save” your searches. If you are NOT logged into a Google user account, the search history is cleared, but then all saved settings are defaulted back to tracking/saving you search results if you are not logged into a Google user account.

The problem with this is you always have some unique ID that is being sent to Google, without you consent. Google promises that they will not track your search, but you have to go to Google web search settings and request that they get ride of data that they are already tracking about you.

YES we should all know by now that Google is collecting information about what you are searching on with cookies that are stored on your computer. Google has now a public habit of doing this for all users by default, even if they are not logged into a Google user account. This is fine because up until now, you could always clear your web browser cache and your Google cookies would be wiped clean and to Google you would appear to be a new user.

YES again I know that Google could use my IP address as a common unique identifier for me. But these Google webpage search issues are also happening on a iPod touch that is only connected to Wifi, and the Google search terms are following me around from new hot spot to new hot spot, even after clearing the Safari web cache in between new Wifi locations.

The only possible explanation is that the iPhone/iPod and Safari web browser is providing Google some unique identifier about me that is persistent, even after all Safari web browser cache data is supposed to be cleared.

How and why is the iPhone iOS5 providing a unique id about you to Google's web page search???

iPhone 4, iOS 5

Posted on Nov 10, 2011 9:47 AM

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Answer 1

KiltedTim

Level 10

195,435 points

Nov 10, 2011 9:54 AM in response to lcIII_User

Buzz..... Thank you for playing!

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Answer 2

lcIII_User Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 10, 2011 1:52 PM in response to lcIII_User

bump, bump...

Has anyone noticed this odd behavior???

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Answer 3

KiltedTim

Level 10

195,435 points

Nov 10, 2011 2:12 PM in response to lcIII_User

Thanks for fixing your post... when I opened it before... tried reloading multiple times... All the test was there, but with a single character on each line... Completely impossible to read. Thus, my previous post.

It's entirely possible that Google is reading multiple things in order to build a unique identifier for your browser. This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Safari providing a unique identifier, but may have something to do with Safari providing more accurate responses to queries from the server for information.

Go to www.grc.com and click on the "Shields Up" link. You will see how web servers can and do generate unique identifiers that can tie in to your browser, regardless of what you've done in the way of clearing cookies, etc. This is not something new. It is just something you have noticed recently. Again, probably because Safari is responding more accurately to queries for information. The information it returns is not "bad". It can be used in a number of ways, including determining the capabilities of your machine and browser when it comes to running web content.

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Answer 4

lcIII_User Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 10, 2011 5:09 PM in response to KiltedTim

Yes, I love GRC, I bought SpinRite some time ago. Just used it the other day to get a work laptop up and running again...

ShieldsUp is great, or was great. It was so very important years ago when our desktops were connected direct to the Internet via dialup. For desktops, behind a propperly configured router/fire wall it's not so important any more. However, you are correct that the ShieldsUp web tool is a very valid tool again since mobile's are again direct connected devices to the Internet.

However for my testing, I eliminated this direct connection firewall/ports issues by testing with just the iPod via Wifi only, behind NAT routers. These issues follow me on that one iPod from network to network (ie home then Dr. Office or home then coffee house), regardless of how I clear my settings.

Yes ShieldsUp shows me the cookies I have received and then give back to the ShieldsUp server, that is the way the web is supposed to work.

Again why has Apple and Google decide to include a workaround? The iPhone Safari web browser has to be leaking some unique ID about my device. This is either intentional or accidental but non the less Google is using it!

Please someone show me I am wrong and point out how I can clear my past Google web search history, without having to trust a server side search history clear button under Google's web page settings.

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Answer 5

KiltedTim

Level 10

195,435 points

Nov 11, 2011 4:15 AM in response to lcIII_User

Apple and Google have not "decided to include a workaround". Heck, Apple and Google are barely on speaking terms these days.

Apple's browser is getting better. More standards compliant. Google, meanwhile is finding new ways to use the data it gets. I'm not saying that this is exactly what's happening. I am saying that it's a possibility.

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Answer 6

Nov 12, 2011 6:52 AM in response to lcIII_User

I have been searching for ways to delete the google history of previous searches on my iphone 4. I tried deleting cookies, cache etc from safari. Epic fail. Tried switching to yahoo and then back to google in settings. Epic fail. Believe it or not, when you tap the google app, then scroll down the list of those previous searches you are trying to eliminate, when you get to the bottom of the list, there will be a "clear search history" button. Worked like a charm. Hope this helps.

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Answer 7

lcIII_User Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 13, 2011 5:06 PM in response to andrewfromfreeport

andrewfromfreeport – I truly appreciate you looking at this and contributing. My hope is that more people can take a look at this.

But that “Clear History” link at the bottom of the Google web page search is exactly what I am worried about. That is a server side link that you can use to ask Google to kindly stop tracking your search history.

I am fine with Google using what ever tools they can to track my search. That's what they do. What I am having issue with is that Apple/Safari is enabling this with some unique identifier that allows Google to have a lasting connection with me, everywhere I go. It used to be that web browsers were built to allow you to clear your history and provide some level of privacy.

I find it very interesting that this persistent behavior with Safari and Google has just started after Safari was given a private browsing feature. So now with a wink, and a nod, Apple will provide a unique ID about you, to Google and who knows who else, without your permission. If you really have any need for privacy, you have to go enable the private browsing feature, and who says that works???

Looks like I might need to go dig up the EULA for iOS5, as a bet there are new terms allow indexes or history of device usage for error reporting of other features....

Last week I posted the same day iOS 5.01 was released, hopefully this post will hang at the top long enough for some more attention...

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Answer 8

lcIII_User Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 17, 2012 5:59 AM in response to lcIII_User

We knew this was coming:

http://venturebeat.com/2012/02/17/google-safari-tracking-cookie-browser-ios-appl e/

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57379931-281/wsj-google-tricked-apples-safari- in-order-to-track-users/

http://battellemedia.com/archives/2012/02/a-sad-state-of-internet-affairs-the-jo urnal-on-google-apple-and-privacy.php

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/02/16/how-google-tracked-safari-users/

I don't think they got this yet. This is still part of iOS5.... Make sure to OPT-IN to Apple's privacy policy by using the private browsing feature of iOS5...

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